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List The Best B-Strings You Have Ever Played or Tried

Smallmouth_Bass

Smallmouth_Bass

Dec 29, 2005
8,024
6,060
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
#1
Some discussion in another thread had me thinking about what everybody's experiences with the best B-strings has been and what bass produced them. I know that the strings themselves also factor in, but for discussion's sake, let's keep it to the basses and leave that for another thread.

So, of the basses you own (or have owned) or tried, list the best sounding B-strings you have played. (My criteria for a good sounding B is bright, clear, playable past the E on the 5th fret and not floppy).
 
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#3
For me, in order with best being number one (these are the ones I can remember):
1) Dingwall (37" scale models)
2) Roscoe (SKB?) (35")
3) Lakland 55-01 (35")
4) Dingwall Super J (35" B)
5) Sandberg VM5 (34")
6) Lull M5V (34")
7) MusicMan Stingray 5 (34")

Even though I think that 35" B's sound better than 34" in general, I prefer the playability of 34" scale basses unless it is has fanned frets.
 
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#8
Dingwalls for sure, but also these ORI Enji 5's which I played at the last NAMM show - perhaps somewhat of a Dingwall knockoff design-wise, but they have a very excellent super clear and even low B.

IMG_6033.jpeg


And though I don't really love the sound overall, the Ibanez fanned fret EHB1505MS has a very impressive low B. If I had a gig where I lived down in that range I'd consider one.
 
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#9
I own Dingwall and Sadowsky and have enjoyed their five string offerings for decades.

A Fodera AJ style singlecut with a 36” scale owned by an acquaintance likely has the best B string I’ve ever encountered on a extended range bass guitar. I attribute that to the scale length, the single cut design, and the excellent quality of the build and wood used.

I’ve seen Nathan East perform in small clubs with little PA support a few times and his namesake Yamaha 5 string sounded great from top to bottom. On those occasions, he was playing rented amps so you have to attribute the sound he gets to his touch and top-tier playing ability as well as the bass. Of course, many of his recordings define what an excellent low B is.
 
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#10
bholder said:
well I did but not closely enough, I guess.

Sire V7 Gen 1, 34" scale. (what the DR DDT is on)
Click to expand...

Finding the right strings for a particular bass is important.

Even though I mentioned it was a discussion for another thread, it seems some people think that a more flexible B tends to yield the best B-string while others go for the thickest gauge and most taut.
 
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#11
bholder said:
I do think the string itself matters as much or more than the bass brand or scale. but that's just me.
Click to expand...
To a point - I've owned some 5 or 6-string basses that only worked well with certain B strings, which usually ended up being GHS Contact Core Super Steels (after going through quite a few others). But if the instrument isn't capable of producing good clear notes on the B string there's no string that can remedy that.
 
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#14
ad9000 said:
Dingwalls for sure, but also these ORI Enji 5's which I played at the last NAMM show - perhaps somewhat of a Dingwall knockoff design-wise, but they have a very excellent super clear and even low B.

View attachment 7295371

And though I don't really love the sound overall, the Ibanez fanned fret EHB1505MS has a very impressive low B. If I had a gig where I lived down in that range I'd consider one.
Click to expand...

I think that Dingwall did a lot of the heavy lifting for getting the 37" B-string into prominence and now many are joining in, from Spector to ESP to Harley Benton to Mayones.
 
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#15
Modulus Graphite Quantum (I’ve owned two of their 6-strings, and the low B on both was astounding)

The low B on my Rob Allen MB-2 and my Lakland Skyline 55-02D are also really good sounding, definitely superior to most other basses I’ve heard.

Common theme with all of ^^^those is a 35” scale length, so maybe that’s the trick?
 
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#17
Bob_Ross said:
Modulus Graphite Quantum (I’ve owned two of their 6-strings, and the low B on both was astounding)

The low B on my Rob Allen MB-2 and my Lakland Skyline 55-02D are also really good sounding, definitely superior to most other basses I’ve heard.

Common theme with all of ^^^those is a 35” scale length, so maybe that’s the trick?
Click to expand...

There's a reason why a lot of manufacturers went to 35" scale length.

Other than playability, the thing about going to a 35" scale length on a 5-string is you make the treble strings sound more tinny, so there is a trade-off. My ideal bass has an even sound across the board. So, I want clearly defined lower notes and a thick sounding upper register. In other words, I want it to sound like a bass everywhere on the instrument.
 
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#18
Justin Keoni said:
Not really talked about much but the FBass B with the exposed core string is excellent
Click to expand...

I've tried one briefly, but it was so long ago that I don't remember what it sounded like. I remember it being a beautiful and well crafted instrument. Maybe they're onto something by splitting the difference with a 34.5" scale length.
 
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#19
Smallmouth_Bass said:
Finding the right strings for a particular bass is important.

Even though I mentioned it was a discussion for another thread, it seems some people think that a more flexible B tends to yield the best B-string while others go for the thickest gauge and most taut.
Click to expand...
Yup, personal preference rules all. I'm a "taut" kinda guy. :cool:
 
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